The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-23
THE PURITAN sABBATHs RETURN.
The Gnat and Camel Farce in the Me-
tropolis.


NEW YORK, May Elm their attempts
to make New York a Puritan village the
authorities are straining at gnats and swal-
lowing camels. On Sunday two entirely
reputable citizens Of New York, both OF
whom reside in the Hotel Brunswick, stroll
ed up Fifth avenue and back again for a
walk about noon. Neither one of them was
| a drunkard. and both have lived in the
hotel for many years When they returned
| they stood near the door for moment dis
cussing the dust.
st makes me thirsty said the first,
wiping the street refuse from his eyes with
the corner of his handkerchief.
Would you like something TO drinkM
asked the other
YES; suppose we go i'll and get some
lemonade
They entered the hotel and found the bar
room closed. Two OF the bartenders had just
been arrested and taken off to prison for
| serving drinks 20 the regular quests of the
hotel. The thirsty men went from the bar
room to the restaurant and ordered the
drinks they had discussed. The waiter
| shrugged his shoulders and smiled mourn
fully
1T is not possible" he said, ''to get any
thing but champagne or lager beer, and
even then you must order something to eat
with it
But l never drink champagne and /
don't care for lager BEER said one Of the
men. Lemonade is certainly enough of a
temperance drink to pass muster even in
| this town of queer political freaks, isn't itr'
The waiter was very sorry The lemon
AIDE was regarded as a mixed drink There
were no bartenders, and the only possible
way for the men to refresh themselves was
to order champagne or lager beer in con-
junction with the luncheon. They got up
in disgust and went over to the ladies'
restaurant, where they were actually
obliged to buy light lunch before they
could get anything to satisfy their thirst.
doubt II more pronounced absurdity
could be found in the history of any city
than this. At Delmonicos, which IS I'M
| queStionably the most famous restaurant in
the word, tine public at large was refused
| service. Men who had been breakfasting at
Delmonlcos for many years found that they
could not get a glass of wine or anything at
all but tea and coffee to drink with their
morning meal, and so on throughout the
| city. At one place a young man who was
cashier in pool room where drinks were
served was imprisoned for three months.
His salary was $40 week. He was the
only support of q widowed mother.
| During all the time this hubbub was going
| on in the city proper the big hosiery
in Central Park, which is owned by the gov
ernment, was selling liquor in every form to
boards of thirsty New Workers. Why the
law which applied to Delmonico's and the
| Brunswick should not reach this official gin
mill of the city is another of the inexpica-
bic mysteries of the present administration
in New York.
All the lighter forms of amusement. such
as concert halls, cafes where one may smoke,
! drink and listen to good music, and so on
have been driven away, and the public
dance houses closed. Everybody knew what
the result Of this would be, but now the au-
thorities seem surprised that the inevitable
| has come true.
The result is that disreputable women
have invaded every nook and Granny of the
| island, swarm in droveS in. public places
where one could formerly take lady with
out danger of meeting obnoxious characters
who parade the streets night and day in
shameless desperation. When there was no
external evidence Of their existence a few
months ago they are now legion. A few
| streets in the city were given over to them,
where the police could keep q vigilant eye
| on their movements, and watch the crooks,
blaclSlegs and gamblers who usually fol-
1 lowed in their wake These places have
been broken up IL their turn and the
women and their queer hangers-on have
| spread into the public flats and tenement
houses, whore they have already begun to
spread the seeds of iniquity and add to the
| Temptations of the working girls of New
York. 1t is admitted now that this practice
of oppression is a mistake, but the authori-
| ties 20 on the same way as before
doubt if a more innocent form of enjoy
ment could be devised by Puritan minis
ter than that of some thousands of industri-
GUS and frugal Germans of this city who
have formed singing societies. There is no
end to the number of such organizations.
The police have never been called upon to
reprimand any of them. The membership
is composed of mechanics, BARRIERS and hard
working men generally, who meet one or
two evenings Il week and spend happy
time in singing classical music and chatting
over their beer. Recently they have all
been arrested for pursuing this heinous
course.
They will no longer be permitted to drink
beer and sing in the same place. Did any
one ever hear Of a German being able to
sing without being backed up and fortified
by beer! Before long New Workers will
have TO apply to the police for permission to
breathe. The future Of such absurd Puri-
slnism is plain. At the next election Mike
Coogan, Gilly the Blue, Plug O'Connigle or
Patsey O'Keefe will run for Mayor on the
great platform of free rum, free fun and an
enlightened civilization and sweep the town
by 100, 600 majority. BLAKELY HALL.